Seres takes the lead at Aito as Huawei reshapes its role
Huawei is reshaping its automotive partnership with Seres, shifting to a supporting role within the Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance (HIMA). Seres will now lead Aito's product definition, design, marketing, and service systems. This change gives Seres greater control over the Aito brand. The partnership began in 2021 and saw Aito deliver 386,300 vehicles in 2024, leading to Seres' first annual profit of RMB 5.946 billion (USD 884.5 million).
Huawei's move to a supporting role for Aito reflects its broader HIMA strategy. It allows Huawei to coordinate resources across its expanding network of partners like Chery, BAIC, and JAC. This is not a retreat but a recalibration to optimize its automotive footprint and reduce reliance on any single partner.
For Seres, this means more autonomy but also full accountability for Aito's performance. Seres' August sales were down 49.68% year-on-year, a sharper decline than its 14.07% year-to-date drop. This intensified sales pressure will test Seres' ability to drive Aito's growth independently, even after acquiring Huawei's Aito trademarks for RMB 2.5 billion (USD 371.9 million).
The test for Seres is whether its Saidou brand's partnership with ByteDance's Volcano Engine can replicate Huawei's initial impact. Saidou's AIVA technology brand and its ME7 model, due by year-end, must show strong market traction. Success here would validate Seres' expanded independence and diversify its growth beyond Huawei.
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